Everything seems to have plastic in it these days, but do we really understand how prevalent it is with what we eat and drink? Water bottles, milk jugs, even most of our food is packaged in plastic. So much so, that toxic chemicals called microplastics leach into what we eat and drink every day.

Microplastics are defined as plastic particles less than 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) in length. These particles do not easily decompose and can take hundreds of years to completely dissipate. In the meantime, they hang around in the environment, threaten the day-to-day livelihood of many plants and animals, and elute into our food and water. Microplastics have even been found in fish meat!

The effects that microplastics have on human health are not very well understood. However, several studies in mice and in humans suggest that they can sneak past the intestinal wall and be taken up into the bloodstream. They’ve also been found to accumulate in different organs like the lungs, liver, and placenta and could elicit and suppress immune responses. Seems dangerous!

Tea products can be some of the worst offenders when it comes to microplastics. Plastic is commonly used as a material in tea bags either in the tea bag itself, or as a sealant to close up the tea bags. Research shows that steeping a single cup of this tea can result in over 11.6 BILLION microplastics being released into the tea that you end up drinking – this amount is thousands of times higher than seen in other foods!

At Artillery Tea Co., we believe that keeping things as natural as possible is the safest way to go. That’s why we refuse to use any plastic at all in our tea bags. Instead, ours are entirely plant-based and are completely biodegradable. Not only that, but our tea leaves are carefully selected for premium quality. If you are drinking mass-produced tea that you bought at a grocery store, chances are they use plastic in the construction of their tea bags. Consider switching to Artillery Tea Co. and experience a premium tea and completely plastic-free experience!